China Approves Four HPR1000 Projects

Four new nuclear power plants have been approved in China, according to a Chinese media report, marking the end of a two-year gap in nuclear plant approvals.

All four of the new plants will be domestically developed HPR1000 (Hualong One) reactors, according to Jiemian News, which claimed to have interviewed senior management at Hualong International Nuclear Power Technology for the report. The interviews were exclusive, according to Nuclear Engineering International.

The plans call for two reactors at (CNNC) China National Nuclear Corporation’s Zhangzhou site in Fujian and (CGN) China General Nuclear Power’s Huizhou Taipingling site in Guangdong.

The approvals, which have been confirmed by First Financial Journal, allow for construction to begin on both projects.

The HPR1000 reactor was developed in a collaborative effort involving CNNC and CGN. The reactor is front and center in China’s nuclear power expansion goals, developed for domestic generation and potential export. The first under construction at the Fuquing Nuclear Power Plant is expected to begin operations in 2019, four years after its 2015 construction start.

Four of China’s 15 nuclear power construction projects involve HPR1000 reactors, two at Fuqing and two at Fangchenggang in Guangxi province. All four are expected to begin operations by 2021.

In addition, two HPR1000 reactors are slated for the Karachi NPP in Pakistan.